In the Black

In the Black is the fifth studio album by Canadian heavy metal band Kittie, released on September 15, 2009, through E1 Music.[5] It was the band's first album with bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic, who joined in late 2007. Recording sessions for the album were held with producer Siegfried Meier at Beach Road Studios in Goderich, Ontario. Disappointed by the production of the band's previous album Funeral for Yesterday (2007), Kittie sought to return to a stripped down and more aggressive metal sound.[6][7][8]

In the Black
Studio album by
Kittie
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2009
Recorded2009
StudioBeach Road Studios, Goderich, Ontario
Genre
Length41:00
LabelE1 Music
ProducerSiegfried Meier
Kittie chronology
Funeral for Yesterday
(2007)		 In the Black
(2009)		 I've Failed You
(2011)
Singles from In the Black
  1. "My Plague"
    Released: July 22, 2009[1]
  2. "Cut Throat"
    Released: July 31, 2009[2]
  3. "Sorrow I Know"
    Released: August 17, 2009[3]
  4. "Die My Darling"
    Released: June 7, 2010[4]

In the Black received generally positive reviews from critics, with several critics calling it the band's strongest album to date. The album debuted at number 133 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 3,400 copies in its first week.[9]

Style

After the softer style of Funeral for Yesterday, Kittie returned to their more extreme sound heard on the album Until the End. In the Black incorporates elements of black metal, death metal, alternative rock and grunge.[6][10]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[10]
Blabbermouth.net7.5/10[11]
Exclaim!(positive)[12]
Rock Hard8/10[13]
Ultimate Guitar7.3/10[14]

In the Black received generally positive reviews from critics. James Christopher Monger of AllMusic stated that "In the Black may break little ground for [Kittie], but it certainly fortifies what they've been standing on for the last decade".[10] Blabbermouth.net gave the album a 7.5 out of 10, writing that "Despite a couple missteps ("Ready Aim Riot" and "Die My Darling", while still better than anything the band's done before, are weaker tracks), Kittie have redeemed themselves with one brushstroke. They aren't revolutionizing anything here, and they're not trying to be anything they're not, but they've turned in a batch of great heavy songs played with ferocious conviction -- who the hell knew they had it in them?".[11] The review concluded: "Unless the new Megadeth [album] is a reggae record, In the Black will easily reign as the biggest metal shock of 2009."[11] Denise Falzon of Exclaim! gave the album a positive review: "in terms of sound and songwriting, In the Black surpasses expectations."[12] Rock Hard's Marcus Schleutermann stated that "the song ideas and arrangements sound more convincing than ever", and that In the Black is "undoubtedly [their] best album."[13] Ultimate Guitar noted Kittie's stronger instrumentation and chemistry on the album, and stated that it "could very well be the Canadian quartet's best effort."[14]

Track listing

All songs written by Kittie.

No.TitleLength
1."Kingdom Come"1:29
2."My Plague"3:05
3."Cut Throat"2:55
4."Die My Darling"2:46
5."Sorrow I Know"3:30
6."Forgive and Forget"3:44
7."Now or Never"2:35
8."Falling Down"3:08
9."Sleepwalking"3:17
10."Whiskey Love Song"4:29
11."Ready Aim Riot"3:13
12."The Truth" (Featuring Justin Wolfe of Acacia)6:41
13."The Only"5:20

Personnel

Adapted from CD liner notes.[15]

Charts
Chart (2009) Peak

position

US Billboard 200[16] 133
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[16] 18
US Top Independent Albums (Billboard)[16] 23

References
  1. BraveWords (July 22, 2009). "Kittie - New Song Streaming Online". bravewords.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  2. BraveWords (July 31, 2009). "Kittie - New Song Now Online". bravewords.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  3. "Kittie posts new song". thegauntlet.com. August 17, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  4. Blabbermouth (June 5, 2010). "Kittie: 'Die My Darling' Video To Debut On Monday". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  5. "Official Kittie Site". Kittierocks.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
  6. "In the Black track listing revealed". Blabbermouth.net. July 18, 2009. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  7. Begai, Carl (September 27, 2009). "Kittie – Black Enough For Ya?". carlbegai.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  8. Begai, Carl (September 20, 2011). "Kittie - The Mourning After". bravewords.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  9. Blabbermouth (September 23, 2009). "KITTIE: 'In The Black' First-Week Sales Revealed". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  10. Monger, James Christophe. "Kittie: In the Black". Allmusic. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  11. Blabbermouth (September 8, 2009). "In the Black". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  12. Falzon, Denise (December 21, 2009). "Kittie: In the Black". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  13. Schleutermann, Marcus (October 21, 2009). "In The Black". Rock Hard (Vol. 270) (in German). Retrieved April 14, 2023. (subscription required)
  14. UG Team (September 21, 2009). "Kittie: In The Black Review". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  15. Kittie (2009). In the Black (booklet). Port Washington: E1 Music. KOC-CD-2050.
  16. "Kittie". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.


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